Sports party game

ABSTRACT

Several different football-related games and activities are combined into a kit, resulting in a unique combination for use while watching a football game on television such as the Super Bowl. A sports activity kit comprises bingo-like game; a statistics game; various interactive segments, and a trivia segment. Upon completion of the elected segments, all participants tally their accumulated points, and the participant who accumulates the most points wins the game overall. At least the winner of the game preferably receives a trophy. In the preferred embodiment, adult and child versions of the game are provided. The adult version includes a bingo-like game, a statistics game and a trivia segment. The child version includes two different interactive segments—a ball throw and a ball-kick component—and a statistics game.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/103,405, filed Oct. 7, 2008, the entire contentof which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to party games and, in particular, to amulti-faceted game and activity kit intended for use while watching agame such as football.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many sports fanatics in the U.S. and, indeed, around theworld. It is very common for groups of people to get together to enjoychampionship games such as the Super Bowl on a big screen TV. Theseevents have evolved into much more than just “watching the game.” Theyhave become sensational events in some cases. One such game of manyinvolves making a grid such as a 10×10 grid on a piece of paper orposter board. The name of one team is written across the top, the nameof the other team is written along one side. Each participant makes abet and writes their name on the grid. After all of the squares arefilled numbers are drawn out of a hat, using 0 through 9, for example.These numbers are used to label the rows and columns on the paper. Thenumbers represent the last number in the score at different intervals,with payouts at the end of the first quarter ($50, for example), athalftime ($150), at the end of the third quarter ($50) and at the end ofthe game ($250). For instance, if the score was Giants 14, Patriots 9,then the person whose square is located at the intersection of “Giants4” and “Patriots 9” wins the money.

There are many other games, including trivia games and games involving“props” such as foam balls, hoops, and so forth. But the need remainsfor a single game that combines many different modes of play forenhanced enjoyment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention combines several different football-related games andactivities into a single product, the result being a unique combinationfor use while watching a football game on television such as the SuperBowl.

A sports activity kit according to the invention comprises bingo-likegame; a statistics game; various interactive segments, and a triviasegment. Upon completion of the elected segments, all participants tallytheir accumulated points, and the participant who accumulates the mostpoints wins the game overall. At least the winner of the game preferablyreceives a trophy.

In the bingo-like game, participants guess at the score for a period ofthe game and points are awarded if they are correct. During thestatistics segment, each participant answers questions on asports-related game statistics sheet, and the winner is the participantthat accumulates the most points. During the interactive segment,participants throw or kick a ball at a target, and during the triviasegment, participants chose cards with trivia questions and mark theiranswers on an answer pad.

In the preferred embodiment, adult and child versions of the game areoffered. The adult version includes the bingo-like game, the statisticsgame and the trivia segment. The child version includes two differentinteractive segments and the statistics game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a bingo-like game using a grid;

FIG. 2 shows a game statistic sheet for children

FIG. 3 depicts a cardboard mannequin called “Football Joe”;

FIG. 4 shows a paper field goal taped to a designated wall;

FIG. 5 depicts a plurality of football-shaped cards;

FIG. 6 illustrates an answer pad for the answer;

FIG. 7 shows a scorecard for adult players; and

FIG. 8 shows a scorecard for child players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides several football related games and activities asa single product, the result being a unique combination for use whilewatching a football game such as the Super Bowl on television.Participants are invited to play some or all of the different “segments”described below. The winner having accumulated the most points will benamed the Sports Party MVP and be awarded the Sports Party Mania goldtrophy. In the preferred embodiment, one combination of the segments isintended for adults, while a different combination is intended foryounger players, as described herein below.

Bingo-Like Game Segment

One aspect of the invention resides in a bingo-like game using the gridshown in FIG. 1. The grid has 100 boxes with 10 chip locations along thetop for the “home team,” and 10 chip locations along the side for the“visiting team.” First one determines how many participants will beplaying, and the number 100 is divided by the number of participants.For example, if 10 people are playing, then divide 100 boxes by 10people. Each participant then picks 10 random boxes and places theirinitials in the boxes chosen.

After all the boxes have designated participant initials, numbered chips(numbered 0-9) are placed into a small helmet (or other container) anddrawn randomly. The numbered chips are first placed on the upperhorizontal portion of the grid from left to right. The chips are thenredrawn and randomly positioned along the left vertical side of the gridfrom top to bottom. Now that the grid has been completed, the game isready to begin.

After the end of the quarter of a football game (or period of hockey orhalf of soccer, etc.), the score of the game respective to each team isposted on the bottom of the grid. The winner of each quarter isdetermined by taking the last digit of each team and intersecting thevertical box with the horizontal box.

For example, suppose a game resulted in the following cumulative scoresper quarter:

Quarter Team #1 Team #2 1 10 3 2 21 14 3 28 17 4 31 19The last number of each score is:

Quarter Team #1 Team #2 1 0 3 2 1 4 3 8 7 4 1 9

The intersections 3-0, 4-1, 7-8 and 0-1 indicate the winningparticipants per quarter, with points being awarded such as 5 points forQ1, 10 points for Q2, 5 points for Q3 and 15 points for Q4.

Game Statistics Segment

According to this aspect of the invention, each participant answersanswer all questions (i.e., 25) on a game statistics sheet (not shown).These questions must be answered prior to the start of the game, as theyrelate directly to the football game being played. Each correctlyanswered question is worth 1 point. The winner of this section is theparticipant that accumulates the most points. The Game StatisticsSegment would preferably be different for adults and children; FIG. 2shows a game statistic sheet for children.

Interactivity

1. Ball Toss Segment: A cardboard mannequin (i.e., “Football Joe,” FIG.3) is positioned in an upright position, and a balloon is taped in themiddle of the white oval. Using a foam football and standing at adistance of 10 feet, each participant will get 5 tosses. The object isto get the foam football to hit the balloon on Football Joe. Eachsuccessful toss will give the participant 5 points. The winner of thissection is the participant that accumulates the most points.

2. Field Goal Kicking Segment: A paper field goal (FIG. 4) is taped to adesignated wall. A participant will hold the football down with his/herfinger and the kicker will attempt to kick the inflated football throughthe upright portion on the field goal from a distance of 10 feet. Eachfield goal is worth 5 points. The winner of this section is theparticipant that accumulates the most points.

Trivia

A plurality of football-shaped cards are provided (FIG. 5), which arearranged in packs of five, by 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. Each cardcontains one trivia question on the front and an answer on the back. Atthe start of every quarter, each participant will be given the questionsand will have the entire quarter to complete each pack of questions onthe answer pad provided (FIG. 6). All answers must be turned in beforethe end of the quarter. Each question is worth one point. For thosefootball buffs, additional questions are included.

Point Score

After the completion of the football game, all participants will tallytheir points on the scorecards provided. FIG. 7 shows a scorecard foradult players, and FIG. 8 shows a scorecard for child or younger-adultplayers. Each adult and each child who accumulates the most points willreceive a SPORTS PARTY MANIA MVP GOLD TROPHY.

1. A sports activity kit, comprising: a statistics segment wherein eachparticipant answers questions regarding sports-related statistics priorto a game, with points being awarded to each participant for eachcorrect answer; and at least two of the following additional, differentgame segments: a) a bingo-like game wherein participants guess at thescore for a period of the game, with points being awarded to eachparticipant for each correct answer; b) an interactive game segmentwherein participants throw or kick a ball at a target, with points beingawarded to each participant for each correct answer; c) a trivia segmentwherein participants chose cards with trivia questions and mark theiranswers on an answer pad, with points being awarded to each participantfor each correct answer; and wherein, upon completion of the chosensegments, all participants tally their accumulated points, and theparticipant who accumulates the most points wins.
 2. The sports activitykit of claim 1, wherein the winner receives a trophy.
 3. The sportsactivity kit of claim 1, comprising a plurality of interactive gamesegments, including: a ball-toss component wherein a participant tossesa ball to a target of a sports player included with the kit; and aball-kick component wherein a participant kicks a ball to a target of agoal post included with the kit.
 4. The sports activity kit of claim 3,including the following combination of game segments for adults: gamestatistics segment, bingo-like game, and trivia segment; and thefollowing combination of game segments for children: game statisticssegment, ball-toss component, and ball-kick component.